Method and apparatus for drawing fine fibers



All@ 5, 195.2 E. R. POWELL `2,605,499

METHQD AND APPARATUS FQR DRAWING FINE FIBERs Filed sept. 1, 195o 2 SHEETS-SHEET v1 A if A BY c, /QQALF ATTORNEY Aug. 5, 1952 E. R. POWELL METHOD AND APPARATUS *F OR DRAWING FINE FIBERS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Sept. l, 1950 directions.

Patented Aug. 5, 1952 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWING FINE FIBERS Edward R. Powell, North Plainfield, N. J., as-

signor to Johns-Manville Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York YApplication September 1, 1950, Serial No. 182,820

(Cl. lit-2.4)

18 Claims. 1

The instant invention relates to a method of and apparatus for producing ne ibers of glass and similar thermoplastic andv meltable materials and is an improvement upon my prior application, S. N. 118,815, filed September 30, 1949, of which it constitutesV a continuation-in-part as to all common subject matter. It will be appreciatedthat in this application, as in 'my said prior application, the term glass is used in a generic sense to include glass compositions, synthetic low valkali glasses, organic and synthetic glasses, mineral wool compositions, and other meltable materials.

The iibers thus initiated are drawn out into" longer fibers by forces applied transversely of the lengths of, the fibers while they are still attached to the layer of material and to the protuberances. The instant invention has for its principal object the provision of an improved method and apparatus for drawing out the fibers formed between the glass layer rand thep'rotuberances.Av

Another object of the invention is the provision of a method and apparatus in which the iibers are picked u'p and pulled in a direction transf verse to their lengths to further draw them out, by devices such as discs rotatingv in opposite Portions of the discs overlap so that the be'rs are carried'between the discs and held against their peripheries.

A further object of lthe invention is vthe provision ofv a'iiber drawing apparatus and method including membersrotated at high speed located adjacent the surfaces of the ber'drawing bodies and in Athe path of ,theA fibers extending between thebodies, the rotatable members assisting in the liber drawing action. A still further object of the invention is the provision of such apparatus andvmethod in which the fibers are held in frictional contact with the members, the frictional contact being maintained in part lby in duced pneumatic forces.' More particularly, an object ofthe invention is the provision of an apparatus and method in which the rotatable members comprise perforated hollow caSingS With jet nozzles located within the casings, the nozzles directing jets through the walls of the casings and in downwardly converging paths and in the general direction of movement of the fibers, whereby the bers are held in frictional contact with the casings by the jets, as well as by induced air currents entering the casings above the jets.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such apparatus in which the rotatable hollow casings and the jets, While themselves operating as fiber drawing means, also cooperate with the discs in the ber drawing operation, the converging jets being directed toward the discs to carry the vfibers therefrom. Although the perforated casings may be separately rotated, preferably they are driven by the jets. The discs may also be separately driven or be driven by the jets. For'the latter purpose they are provided with perforations, indentations, or other means for impingement by the jets.

My 'invention will be more fully understood and further objects and advantages thereof will become apparent when reference is made to the following more detailed description of the invention and tothe accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 -is a longitudinal sectional view of an apparatus embodying the'invention, the view being taken on the line I-l of Fig. 2; y

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View of the yapparatusof Fig. 1, taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3 0f Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail elevational view with parts broken away for clearness of illustration, of a iiber drawing element shown in assembly in Figs. 1, 2 and 3;

v Fig. 5 is a sectional view, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; n v

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional'view o a portion of thedevice of Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail View of a portion of the drawing disc shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view, taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detail view illustrating a modification of a portionof the apparatus vshown in Figs. 1 and 2; and,

Fig. 10 is a sectional View, taken on the line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9.

VReferring now to lthe drawings, Ythe apparatus includes a rotor orvbody l0 mounted'on a shaftA l2 for rotation in the direction indicated by the arrow. Rotor Il) is of a construction to permit heating from yroom-tenlperature to 1800 F. orl

lower side of rotor 22.

above without strain or eccentricity and to be mechanically stable and run true at elevated temperatures.

A second rotor 22 is m-ounted on a shaft 2li lying in parallelism with shaft l2. Rotors iii and 22 are in alignment and portions of their peripheral surfaces lie in adjacent, parallel, but non-contacting relationship. The peripheral surface of rotor l is preferably smooth, while that of rotor 22 is provided with a multiplicity of protuberances or projections 2li,- suitably equally spaced at relatively close intervals over the peripheral surface of the rotor. For example, the protuberances may be placed from 64 to 400 to the square inch. Rotor 22 is of `different and preferably smaller diameter than rotor I9, but otherwise, and except for the protuberances, is of similar construction to rotor ill. It is mounted for rotation in the direction indicated by the arrow, that is, in a direction opposite to rotor l5 and so that the Yupper peripheries of the rotors approach each other.' The rotors aredriven by any suitable means (not shown) at the same, or substantially thel same, peripheral speeds.

Rotors i@ and 22 are enclosed, or substantiallyA enclosed, by a housing having an extension 3,2 in the lower corner adjacent rotor IU. The housing is cut away at the bottom and part way up the side walls, as indicated at 34, to provide room for the ber drawing and removal apparatus later to be described. YThe housing may consist of a steel shell lined with refractory material of a character to'resist excessive erosion under the temperatures involved. The housing is of a width to closely embrace the rotors, as particularly illustrated in Fig. 2, and of such length and height that the refractory lining is relatively close to the peripheri'es of the rotors, except at the corners, and particularly at extension 32.

ySuitably the housing and refractory lining are made in sectional form to permit their mounting around the rotors.4

Burners it are mounted in apertures in the upper corners at the opposite ends of the housing to direct their. names along the refractory walls. Y Aburner 1H is also positioned in the end wall ofthehousing to direct its flame along the The burners, which may be of Vconventional type, are connected by fuel lines d2 and i3 respectively, to a suitable supply (not shown) of a fuel, such as a mixtureof gas andair.

Mounted in extension 32 is a raw material melt ing and projecting device, indicated generally at da. This device consists of burners d6 positioned to direct convergingfiames against the adjacent peripheral surface of rotor l. The burners are connected by a lsupply line 138 to any suitable source of fuel (not shown) ,such as a mixture of gas and air under such pressure that a high velocity blast is set up. Raw fiber forming' material in particulate form .is discharged into the blast issuing from burners'li. To this end a supply means for the particulate matter, such as hopper 5d, is mounted adjacent housing 3Q. The hopper is provided with a screw feed 5l driven at aV controlled speed to deliver the raw material at a selected rate into a feed conduit 52 and thereby to a nozzle 5d having its outletl located ,drawn betweenrotors Wand 22,

necting tube 56 may be provided between the fuel supply line 48 and the feed line l52.

Fiber drawing and attenuating means is located in the cut-away portion of the housing and in position to intercept the path of the fibers l This means includesrotatable members 58 (see particularly Figs. 3 6 inclusive). Each 'of these members comprises a hollow casing 59 having an open, and suitably, a closed end. Each of the casings is carried by a shaft 62, which may be welded or otherwise secured to the closed end of the casing, the shaft being mounted in anti-friction bearings i2. `:suitably two bearings are employed at the one end ofA each shaft, as illustrated, to provide the required stability. The circumferential wall til of the casing is provided with a multiplicity of rows of perforations 66, the perforations as best shown in Fig. 5 eXtending-angularly through the walls of thevcasing and being arranged in staggered rows.

Astationary, cylindrical member or container GE is mountedwithin each casing 59. Container 58 is closed at both'ends and its interior is in communication by a conduit with any suitable source offluid under pressure, such as compressed air or steam. Conduit 'ill is mounted `in fixed position to support container 68 with its peripheral wall adjacent, but spaced'from, the inner surface of wall Gli of the casing. Thewall of container 68, which `is` relatively thick to resist the pressures involved, 'is' provided with a line of perforations 'i3 substantially in the horizontal plane of the aXis of the container. Perforations E3, which are Asubstantially smaller than Locatedvbetween members 58 are ber. pulling` devices 1B 'and 1.8 suitably comprising discs mounted for rotation on shafts 8i) and 82, re-

' lperipheral edges VofY discs 'I6 and 18 are provided with fiber grasping means which suitably take the form of teeth, `hooksorfile cuts 84 positioned to have their prongs or -teeth pointing toward the direction of rotation of the discs. The edges of the prongs or teeth are suitably rounded tok reduceY abrasion on the fibers carried thereby. It will be appreciated that other configurations may be used for the fiber grasping means.Y

The discs are lrotated with or on shafts'and 82 atv-the same,` or substantially the same, relatively high speed by Vanyl suitable means which may be a driving rdevice operably connected to the shafts, or maybe jets directed against the discs, as will be hereinafter more fully explained. The discs are rotated in opposite directions and with their upper peripheries approaching. y

Suitable apparatusiis provided below the casing for collectionV of the fibers produced by the apparatus described above. This may comprise a The discs areY so.

5. foraminous or open work conveyor 86 on which the bers settle to be continuously carriedfrom the place of formation. A suction box (not shown) may be located below the upper reach of the conveyor to aid in the ber collecting and felting operation, if desired. y

In the operation of the apparatus described above and in carrying out the method of the instant invention, glass of a suitable composition, which may be any of those available for ber drawing, is supplied in particulate form to rhopper 50. It is fed thereby to the nozzle 54 and discharged therefrom into the blast issuing from burners 4B to be melted thereby and deposited on the surface of drum l as a layer of molten glass. The specic functioning and operation of the glass feeding and melting devices are more fully explained in my copending application, S. N. 176,282, led July 28, 1950, to which reference is made for an understanding of this portion of the apparatus and method. y

The layer of glass on rotor l0 is carried by the rotor to the bight between it and rotor 22 at which point the protuberances or points 26 contact or dip into the lglass layer on rotor IIJ. As the surfaces of the rotors move apart on continued rotation, each of the protuberances 26 which has dipped into or been contacted by the glass layer, draws a ber from the layer whereby a multiplicity of parallel bers extend between the protuberances and the layer, the bers being elongated as the surfaces of the rotors continue to separate. l

The parallel fibers formed between rotors l0 and 22 are carried into positions where they are picked up by the teeth or other ber grasping elements of discs 16 and 18, the bers being lapped between the discs and carried downwardly and simultaneously elongated as more of the molten material or glass is drawn from the'protuberances and the layer. The discs are driven at peripheral speeds which may be several or many times that of the rotors. During this operation the Vbers are drawn into contact with rotating members 58 and into the path of the converging blasts issuing through the perforated surfaces 64 of the rotating members. Containers 68 within the casings of members 5B serve as baiiies to prevent a large discharge of air or other gas, except in the direction indicated by the arrows 81 in Fig. 5, and also in conjunction with the jets, cause induced air currents inwardly through the perforations of the casings above the jet nozzles as indicated by the arrows 89 in Fig. 5. Both these induced air currents and the jets 'tend to intensify the frictional contact of the bers with'the casings. The latter being driven at high speeds by the jets, thatis, at peripheral speeds which are many times higher than that of the rotors, complete the drawing of the bers from the available molten material on the rotors in the form of long, extremely ne bers.v The rotating members thus serve the dual function of assisting the drawing action and of preventing snarling of the bers as they finally-break loose from the protuberances and the glass layer,

respectively, this taking place at, or adjacent, the

bottom of the arc of rotation of the rotors. Breaking or burning off of the bers from the rotors is assisted on one side by the ame issuing from burner 46 which sends tongues of flame along. the bottom of the adjacent rotating member 58, and on the other side by burner 4I which similarly sends tongues of ame along thef bottom of the adjacent rotating member 58.

from the supplies of The uidjets, being4 directed `in converging paths downwardly 'andagainst the' discs `I6 and 18,- remove the bersv vfrom the ber' grasping prongs and carry the bers downwardly to be collected on conveyor 86 or other-suitable ber collecting device.

The discs may be rotated by an'in'dependent drive device but, as previously mentioned and as illustrated particularly in Figs; 9 and l0,v similarly as the members 58, be drvenby the jets.

For this purpose their lateral faces are provided with suitable means, such as indentations'l upon which the jetsimpinge vto exert ya driving action. i f j '-T v The apparatus Aand method described above fully attain the'several objects'of the invention. Relatively long,v extremely ne bers are expeditiously produced.` The overlapping high speed i pulling'discs insure the grasping and drawing out 'of the bers formed between the rotors, the rotating `members 58 and the jetsjissuing therefrom contributing to the ber 'drawingoperation. The rotating members also prevent entanglement of the bers as they break or are burned off from the rotors. i l

Having thus described my vinvention in rather full detail', it will be understood that these details Vneed not be strictlyY adhered :to but that various changes and modifications may suggest themselves to one skilledin the art, all Vfalling within the scop'e of the inventionas dened by the subjoined claims. i l f What I. claim is: f-

l. A method of making. bers comprising drawing a succession of fibers,4 contacting said bers during the ber drawing operation with spaced means moving in--opposite directions in overlapping, circular paths ,to-1. grasp the bers and carry them in a direction transverse to their lengths to elongate the same,- and conveying the elongated bers by said means into the path of a gaseous blast.

2. A method of making `bers comprising drawing a succession` of,` fibers 'between moving bodies, and contacting saidwbers during the ber drawing operation by spaced annulardevices rotating in oppositedirections-in overlapping, circular'paths to grasp the bers and to stretch the bers and Ycarry. them in a direction transverse to their lengths into the path of converging fluid jets. K

3. A methodv of making bers comprising drawing a succession of bers between moving bodies carrying supplies of ber forming material, frictionally contacting said bers during the ber drawing operation by surfaces moving at high speed, and maintaining the frictional contact between the bers and theV surfaces for an interval to elongate the bers by drawing additional material from theA supplies ofrber forming. material on the bodies.

4. A method of making bers comprising drawing a succession of bers between moving bodies carrying supplies of ber forming material, frictionally contacting said bers during the ber drawing operation by surfaces moving at high speed, pneumatically intensifying such frictional contact, and maintaining the frictional contact fora sufficient interval to elo-ngate the bers by drawing additional material ber V forming material on the bodies. f J f 5. A method of making vbers comprising drawing a .succession of bersy between moving bodiescarrying' supplies of ber` forming material, bringingtherbers duringtheber drawing operation into-frictional Contact with cylindrical members rotating at high speedand maintaining the frictional contact betweenv the iibers and the' cylindrical vmembers for a suiiicient interval to elongate the fibers by drawing addi,- tional material from the suppliesv ofriiber 'forming material on the bodies. l

6'. A method of making bers comprising drawinga succession. of bers between moving bodies carryingY supplies of ber forming material',V bringing said fibers .during the. fiber' 'drawing operation into contactwith cylindricalmembers rotating at high speed, pneumatically intensifying such frictional contact, and maintaining the frictional contact betweenzthebers and the cylindrical members rfor a sufficient Yinterval to elongate the bers by 'drawing additional material from the supplies of iiber formingmaterial on the-bodies.,` l'. M. Y

7. Amethodfof 'making bers comprising drawing a succession 'of viibers between vmoving bodies carrying vsupplies of fiber forming material, contacting the bers during the fiber drawing operation with means moving in a direction transverse to their length to elongate the'same and to carry them intoffrictional contact with surfaces moving at high 4 speed,- pneumatically intensifying such frictional contact, 'andi maintaining the frictional contact between the fibers vand the surfacesv for a suiicient interval to elongate vthe fibers by drawing additional material from the supplies of liber forming material Yon the bodies.

8. Inan apparatusfor producing fibers, 'means for forming a body of iiber forming material, meansfmovable relatively away from the body 'forrcon'tactingl the body and drawing a succession of bers therefrom, and means for pulling said iibers in "a" direction transverse'to their lengths, said iiber'pulling means including spacedfiber grasping devices mounted for movement in opposite directions in overlapping, circular paths.

9. In an apparatus for producing fibers, means for 4forn'iing a body of liber forming material,

means movable relatively away from the body for contactingA the body andvdrawin'g a succession of iibers therefrom,means for' pulling* said bers in a direction transverse to their.' lengths, said bervpulling means including spaced ber 'grasping devices mounted for movement in opposite directions in overlapping, circularpaths, and meansfor directing a gaseous blast against said bers. 4

10. Inan apparatus for producing fibers, means for forming a body of fiber forming material, means movable relatively away from the body for contacting the body and drawing av succession of fibers/therefrom, means for pulling said bers in a direction transverse to their lengths, said fiber pulling means including spaced fiber grasping devicesmounted' for movement in overlapping, circular paths, rotatable members on opposite sidesof said fiber grasping means and in the path of the iibers carried thereby for frictional contact therewith, andfmeans for directing a fluid blast against the fibers. f.

V1l. InV lan apparatus for producing. iibers, means for'forming a body of fiberforming material, means movable relatively away from the body for contacting the body and drawing a-succession of fibers therefrom, means `for pulling onyjopposite sides of Vsaid. fiber grasping means and in the path of the iibers carried thereby for frictional contact therewith, and means` for directing a iiuid blast from said members and against the bers to intensify the frictional contact between the iibers and the members and to carry the fibers from the iiber grasping means.

l2. In an apparatus for producing iibers, means for forming a body of ber forming material, means movablerelatively away from the body for contacting the body and drawing a succession of fibers therefrom-means for pulling said iibers in a direction transverser to their lengths, rotatable memberson opposite sides of said fiber pulling means and in the path of the bers carried thereby, and means for directing a gaseous blast against the bers to 'intensify the irictional contact between the iibers and the members and to carry the iibers from the liber pulling means. v

y13. In an apparatus for producing iibers, means for forming a body of fiber forming material, means movable relatively'away from the body for contacting the body and drawing a succession of fibers therefrom, means for pulling said fibers in a direction transverse t0 their lengths, perforated, hollow, rotatable members supported on oppositeY sidesof said liber pulling means and in the path of iibers carriedthereby, and means for directing vuid blasts through the perforated walls o the members and against the iibers.

14. In an apparatus for producing bers, means for forming a body of ber forming material, means movable relatively away from the body for contacting the body and drawing a succession of fibers therefrom, a pair of rotatable discs having ber grasping peripheries with overlapping portions lyingin the path of the fibers whereby the discs grasp the bers and carry them in a direction transverse to their lengths, rotatable members supported on opposite sides of the pair of discs and in the path of the fibers car ried thereby, and means for directing a gaseous blast from adjacent the rotatable members and against the iibers carried by the pair of discs.

`15. In an apparatus for producing fibers, means for forming a body' of fiber forming material, means movable relatively away from the body for contacting the body and drawing a succession of Ebers therefrom, a pair of rotatable discs having fiber grasping peripheries, means supporting the discs with overlapping portions in the path of the bers, means for rotating said discs in opposite directions, hollow, perforated, cylindrical members on opposite sidesl of the discs and in the path of the fibers, means supporting said cylindrical members for rotation,\and means for Setting up gaseous blasts within said cylindrical members and for directing the blasts through the perforations thereof and against the fibers carried by the discs. Y 16. In an apparatus for producing iiber a rotor having a peripheral surface, `means for forming a layer of molten materialen said surface, a second rotor, elements projecting fromy the peripheries of the second rotor, means mounting said second rotor for rotation with said elements moving into and out of contactwith said layer to draw iibers therefrom whereby said bers elongate -as said elements move away from said rst rotor, hollow, perforated, cylindrical members, means supporting said; members adjacent the surfaces of said rotors,4 and means for set,-

ting up gaseous blasts within said cylindrical members and for directing the blasts through the perforations thereof in converging paths transverse to the lengths of the fibers.

17. In an apparatus for producing fibers, a rotor having a peripheral surface, means for forming a layer of molten material on said surface, `a second rotor, elements projecting from the peripheries of the second rotor, means mounting said second rotor for rotation with said elements moving into and out of contact with said layer to draw bers therefrom, hollow, perforated, cylindrical members mounted for free rotation adjacent the surfaces of the rotors, and

means for setting up converging gaseous jets directed through the perforated walls of said cylindrical members and in a direction transverse to the lengths of the fibers.

18. In an apparatus for producing fibers,

a rotor having a peripheral surface, means for 20 forming a layer of molten material on said surface, a second rotor, elements projecting from the peripheries of the second rotor, means for mounting said second rotor for rotation with '10 said elements moving into and out of contact with said layer to draw bers therefrom, discs having -ber grasping peripheries, means supsorting the discs to have overlapping sections in the path of the succession of fibers, hollow, perforated, cylindrical members on opposite sides of the discs and adjacent the surfaces of the rotors, means for setting up gaseous blasts within said hollow, cylindrical members, means for directing the blasts through the perforations thereof in converging paths and against said discs, and means on said discs for causing rotation thereof by said blasts.

EDWARD R. POWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,450,914 Powell Oct. 12, 1948 2,460,899 Modigliani et al. Feb. 8, 1949 

